The Expert: Striving for a Circular Economy

Abstract

This chapter analyses corporate expertise in managing the environmental and health impacts of materials. First, it introduces the European plastics and paper industries and discusses their varying exposure to public and NGO pressure. Next, it considers how measures proposed under the circular economy initiative might affect these industries in the future. A second part contrasts the diverging rationales of the two industry branches in the EU regulatory process: the paper industry as a producer and recycler of an organic material is asking for more stringent regulation of hazardous substances and waste management processes; the plastics industry mainly seeks to relax regulatory requirements. Both industries, however, have engaged in voluntary recycling schemes in order to pre-empt sector-specific regulation and raise their environmental reputation.